16 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol: 1 



attack. Fourth, trees that become infested while young and growing 

 vigorously, suffer much more than trees that do not become infested 

 until they have reached bearing age. Fifth, trees that have been 

 infested for some years, have been more or less persistently treated 

 so as to keep down the insects, and have then been abandoned, not 

 infrequently clean themselves and become and remain practically free 

 from scale afterward. 



Some suggestions derived from these facts are, that possibly trees 

 are being stimulated to rapid growth at the expense of hardiness, and 

 that the nitrogenous fertilizers used to produce quick and large trees 

 actually lessen resistant power to insect attack. It would seem in 

 place to inquire whether there should not be a modification of our 

 practice that would induce a hardier growth and one more resistant 

 to scale attack. Instead of adopting a practice calculated to secure 

 size, try to secure one that would give greater hardiness even at the 

 expense of mere growth. That there is a variation in susceptibility 

 among varieties is universally known; it should not be impossible by 

 selection and proper treatment to secure both quality and resistance. 

 It is unscientific to devote ourselves merely to securing and testing 

 spray mixtures, however necessary these may be for immediate re- 

 sults, if there is a possibility of securing exemption by increasing 

 resistance or by adoption of fertilizing methods more in accord with 

 the real needs of the plants. 



A general discussion of the paper followed. Mr. Taylor suggested 

 that the fruit grower might lose more by failure to cultivate his 

 orchard in order to dwarf the trees than he would gain by making 

 them more resistant to scale attack. 



Mr. Smith stated that the paper should not be construed as an 

 argument to do away with the cultivation of orchards. It is possible 

 that fertilizers might be used to advantage to produce a short, hardy 

 growth rather than a large amount of new wood. He thought it 

 might be desirable to use lime in the orchard and to reduce the amount 

 of nitrogenous fertilizers. 



Mr. Felt stated that he had observed in certain parts of New York 

 the same conditions to which Mr. Smith had referred in his paper. 

 He recalled several orchards where the San Jose scale is doing little, 

 if any, injury, which is probably due to the condition of the trees. 



Mr. Rumsey asked if anyone had noted any difference in suscepti- 

 bility to attack in Ben Davis apple trees. No data on this point was 

 presented. 



Mr. Burgess remarked that in his experience the orchards which 



